Non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device and method

Abstract

A non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device, comprises a radar sensing module, a microprocessor and an electrical stimulation module. The radar sensing module continuously transmits a first microwave signal to a muscle bundle part and receives a corresponding reflected muscle signal, and performs a demodulation procedure on a second microwave signal and the reflected muscle signal to obtain and output a demodulated muscle signal. The microprocessor performs a muscle-movement signal characteristic processing procedure on the demodulated muscle signal to obtain a characterized muscle signal. The microprocessor obtains a muscle movement parameter according to the characterized muscle signal and controls the electrical stimulation module to emit a micro electrical stimulation signal to stimulate a reflex nerve when the muscle movement parameter fits an assistive condition, thereby stimulate muscle movement.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device, comprising:
 a radar sensing module at least comprising a microwave transmitter and a receiver, wherein the microwave transmitter continuously transmits a first microwave signal to a muscle bundle part, the receiver receives a reflected muscle signal corresponding to the first microwave signal during a movement of the muscle bundle part, and the radar sensing module performs a demodulation procedure on a second microwave signal and the reflected muscle signal to obtain and output a demodulated muscle signal; 
 a microprocessor in signal-transmittable connection with the radar sensing module, wherein the microprocessor at least comprises an analysis module and a determination module, and the microprocessor performs a muscle-movement signal characteristic processing procedure on the demodulated muscle signal to obtain a characterized muscle signal; and 
 an electrical stimulation module, in signal-transmittable connection with the microprocessor, and comprising an electrode, 
 wherein the analysis module obtains a muscle movement parameter according to the characterized muscle signal, and 
 the determination module controls the electrical stimulation module to emit a micro electrical stimulation signal to stimulate a reflex nerve when the muscle movement parameter is determined as fitting an assistive condition, to stimulate muscle movement. 
 
     
     
       2. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis module obtains the muscle movement parameter according to the characterized muscle signal by:
 extracting a muscle vibration amplitude and a muscle vibration frequency of the characterized muscle signal, and using the muscle vibration amplitude and the muscle vibration frequency as the muscle movement parameter. 
 
     
     
       3. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device according to  claim 2 , wherein the determination module determines the muscle movement parameter fits the assistive condition by:
 determining the muscle vibration amplitude falls within a movement amplitude range, and the muscle vibration frequency falls within a movement frequency range, wherein the movement amplitude range is from 40 mV to 80 mV, and the movement frequency range is from 10 Hz to 20 Hz. 
 
     
     
       4. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the muscle-movement signal characteristic processing procedure is performing a signal pre-filtering, a pre-amplifying, a bandpass filtering and a post-amplifying on the demodulated muscle signal; wherein a frequency range of the bandpass filtering is 4 Hz to 20 Hz. 
     
     
       5. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radar sensing module and the electrical stimulation module share a power source. 
     
     
       6. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the micro electrical stimulation signal is an electrical signal with a low frequency;
 wherein the low frequency is 1 kHz to 10 kHz. 
 
     
     
       7. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting device according to  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor further comprises a pulse width modulation module, configured to output a pulse width modulation signal to the radar sensing module to generate the first microwave signal. 
     
     
       8. A non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting method, adapted to a radar sensing module, a microprocessor and an electrical stimulation module, the radar sensing module at least comprising a microwave transmitter and a receiver, the microprocessor at least comprising an analysis module and a determination module, the method comprising:
 continuously transmitting a first microwave signal, by the radar sensing module, to a muscle bundle part; 
 receiving a reflected muscle signal, by the receiver, corresponding to the first microwave signal during a movement of the muscle bundle part; 
 demodulating a second microwave signal and the reflected muscle signal, by the radar sensing module, to obtain and output a demodulated muscle signal; 
 performing a muscle-movement signal characteristic processing procedure on the demodulated muscle signal to obtain a characterized muscle signal; 
 transmitting the characterized muscle signal to the microprocessor; 
 obtaining a muscle movement parameter, by the analysis module, according to the characterized muscle signal; and 
 controlling the electrical stimulation module to emit a micro electrical stimulation signal, by the determination module, to stimulate a reflex nerve when the muscle movement parameter is determined as fitting an assistive condition, to stimulate muscle movement. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting method according to  claim 8 , wherein obtaining the muscle movement parameter, by the analysis module, according to the characterized muscle signal is:
 extracting a muscle vibration amplitude and a muscle vibration frequency of the characterized muscle signal by the analysis module; and 
 using the muscle vibration amplitude and the muscle vibration frequency as the muscle movement parameter by the analysis module. 
 
     
     
       10. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting method according to  claim 9 , wherein determining, by the determination module, the muscle movement parameter fits the assistive condition is:
 determining, by the determination module, whether the muscle vibration amplitude falls within a movement amplitude range, and the muscle vibration frequency falls within a movement frequency range, wherein the movement amplitude range is from 40 mV to 80 mV, and the movement frequency range is from 10 Hz to 20 Hz; and 
 determining, by the determination module, the muscle movement parameter fits the assistive condition when the muscle vibration amplitude falls within the movement amplitude range, and the muscle vibration frequency falls within the movement frequency range. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting method according to  claim 8 , wherein the muscle-movement signal characteristic processing procedure comprises performing a signal pre-filtering, a pre-amplifying, a bandpass filtering and a post-amplifying on the demodulated muscle signal, wherein a frequency range of the bandpass filtering is 4 Hz to 20 Hz. 
     
     
       12. The non-contact muscle signal sensing and assisting method according to  claim 8 , wherein the micro electrical stimulation signal is an electrical signal with a low frequency;
 wherein the low frequency is 1 kHz to 10 kHz.